Page 58 of If I Were Wind

17. Charm

NERVOUS UNIFORMED CHAPS stormed Raven Park the next day. There were soldiers everywhere—in the hallways, on the grounds, even in the changing rooms of the training hall. People were searched and questioned every time they left the manor or entered it, or randomly stopped when they wandered about.

As I headed towards Nathan’s room to check on him, I paused along the corridor. Black cars were parked in front of the manor. Flags with the Union Jack flapped from the corners of the bonnets. The car’s tinted glass obscured the insides. These must be the investigators Allen had been talking about. Judging by the amount of guns and rifles they carried, they weren’t here only to investigate.

I didn’t have to walk all the way to Nathan’s room as he strode towards me.

“Kristin.” He beamed and pulled me into a quick hug. “How are you?”

“I’m fine. I heard a guard knocked you out.”

He scrubbed the back of his neck. “Bloody idiot bludgeoned me. He panicked when I walked closer to him. I only wanted to help.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you.” Not really. I wasn’t sure I could heal him as I’d healed Roy, especially after yesterday. He’d spent the day sleeping and recovering, and I hadn’t seen him since.

“Don’t worry.” He squeezed my hand, my beast rearing her head as a spark of energy coursed through me at the contact. “You had the condottiero to take care of. Is he all right?”

“He’s alive.” I paused while the sizzling sensation intensified. “What do you think happened?”

He clicked his tongue. “While I was at the hospital, I eavesdropped on a conversation between two guards, who thought I was still knocked out. One said they nearly caught a beast trying to jump over the wall. They shot, but the beast got out.”

“A beast? It means two cadets are involved. But is someone missing?”

“You didn’t think that was a one-man job, did you? How can a single person manage to place a bomb in the mill and leave without being spotted?” He leaned closer. “And no. It wasn’t a beast from Raven Park.”

“What do you mean?”

Checking the corridor, he lowered his voice. “There are other beasts outside of Raven Park.”

“The French? Why would they want to blow up our mill?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Rivalry.”

I rolled my bottom lip between my teeth. If one person sneaking into the mill was easy to spot, two people would have attracted a lot of attention. This theory didn’t make any sense. “So they know the culprit is gone.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. The commander ordered the entire city to be locked and every road to be checked. Whoever did this is still around.” He patted my shoulder. “When you want to train again, after you’re rested, let me know.”

“Of course.” I hadn’t thought about that.

Nathan hugged me one more time before letting me go and darting away.

Mulling his words over, I climbed to the fourth floor. After I knocked on Roy’s door, he yelled to come in, his voice muffled.

“Good morning,” I said, walking into the room. “Have you been out? The manor is swarming with soldiers.”

“I’m here.” Roy was sitting on the edge of his bed, shirt unbuttoned as he dabbed at a slash over his chest.

All the air flushed out of my body. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” A grimace tugged at his lips. Blood stained the gauze he was using to pat his skin.

“You’re bleeding.” My boots smacked on the wooden floor as I hurried towards him.

A huff left him. “Sometimes a wound reopens. It’s normal. Don’t worry.”

“It’s normal if the healer didn’t do a good job. Dash it, Roy. Let me help.” It wasn’t only shame and a sense of responsibility that pushed me to offer my help. Yes, there were less noble reasons.

He raised his intense stare at me. “You don’t have to. I’m bleeding, but the cut will heal on its own.”

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